SWNOVELS contemporary romance
Chapter 80: Debut (3)
I sang every day, brimming with anticipation about the day I would finally make my debut. It was crazy how everything—from the release of our music video to this very day—flew by in just a heartbeat. Debut, debut, debut—that was all I could think about. Feeling restless, I couldn’t catch a wink of sleep, just tossing and turning in bed until the break of dawn.
“Did you all manage to get some sleep?" the manager asked us early in the morning. While scrolling through our rehearsal videos, Goh Yoo-Joon replied, “I doubt anyone did. It was eerily quiet. I couldn’t even hear snoring from the other rooms. Hyun-Woo, did you get any sleep?"
I just rubbed my tired eyes and shook my head. "Not at all."
“Ah, kiddos. I did send you to bed early, hoping you'd get some rest," the manager sighed.
It was 7 AM, and we had managed to wash our weary faces and set off for the debut venue. The energy there was burning, a stark contrast to our exhausted states. We just made a beeline for the waiting room, trying not to disturb the lively atmosphere.
***
“Noona, do you have a bobby pin?" I asked
“A bobby pin?"
“Yeah, my bangs are getting a bit annoying." I quickly fixed my broom-like, bleached bangs with the pin I borrowed from the stylist. Without wasting a moment, I dashed to the stage and pinned a name tag hastily on my shirt.
“Gosh, I just realized Jin-Sung is wearing pajamas.”
“Sometimes, I question his sanity.”
“Today, I fell victim to In-Hyun hyung’s surprise attack again. Before I knew it, Yoon-Chan hyung was already dragging me away."
I playfully tugged at Jin-Sung's pajamas. “Jin-Sung, next time, just close your eyes and wave your hands like this."
“Yeah. Hyun-Woo always does that to the manager hyung, and now he doesn’t dare to wake Hyun-Woo up that way," Goh Yoo-Joon added.
“...Hyun-Woo hyung is so cool. I should try that too.”
“Yo, stop that. Manager hyung is going to cry.” We noticed the manager flexing his muscular arm to pretend he was sobbing, and I couldn’t help but shudder a bit and quicken my pace.
“By the way, why are you guys so quiet today?” the manager asked, looking puzzled.
“What do you mean?"
“Just yesterday, you were all up in arms about having to lip-sync.”
I sighed deeply and shook my head. “Hyung, you ran off. What's the point in arguing with someone who won't listen?"
“Well, it's easier for you guys to dance this way.”
“Hyung, it just means that you don’t trust our skills," Goh Yoo-Joon interjected, draping an arm around the manager’s shoulder in mock solidarity.
Seeing this, the manager was at a loss for words and just left the room. Goh Yoo-Joon chuckled and started stretching his arms. “We are keeping it low-key for the rehearsal, but we'll go all out at the showcase, right?"
“Exactly. Manager hyung needs to be taken aback by our sudden decision.”
We had indeed yet to make our debut, but Allure told us that the management team would tell us everything about the rehearsal counts, live performances, and schedules way before our debut. Hence, it baffled us why our manager was so reticent with this information, only divulging details on the day of the rehearsal.
Since we had to fight for our own rights, I already felt a sense of joy at the thought of our manager's surprised expression.
On stage, we stood in a line and exclaimed in unison, “One, two, three! Hello, we are Chronos! Nice to meet you!"
We bowed at a perfect ninety degrees as we energetically greeted everyone. The director's bland response marked the start of our rehearsal.
We were scheduled to perform “History” and “Parade.” Unfortunately, our song “Chronos” was excluded from the stage as it overlapped with the concept of “Parade”. In front of the stage, a crowd of staff, our manager, Supervisor Kim, and Chronos History’s camera crew were all present.
As the AR played, we performed a standard rehearsal. Despite the vigorous choreography of the newly arranged “History” and “Parade”, as eager rookies, we gave our all in the rehearsal, not holding back at all. Of course, our performance was flawless as it was mostly lip-synced. Apart from the occasional heavy breaths we took, our voices were barely captured by the mics.
“Great job! Make sure to keep this up for the actual stage later.”
“Yes, for sure. Thank you so much!”
We quickly wrapped up our rehearsal and changed into our performance outfits, getting our hair and makeup done at the shop. After that, we finally settled down in the dressing room. With about an hour to go, we looked through the journalists' questions for the showcase, rehearsing our answers and running through our stage routine.
“Is the Q-app streaming all set up?”
“Yep! It's ready to go.”
“Make sure it doesn't cut out halfway. The UNET’s live camera is here, right?”
“Absolutely.” Supervisor Kim and the manager started going through their final checklist, ensuring that everything was in place for the performance. Cameras roamed around, capturing our candid moments.
“Why couldn't we just stand next to each other~”
“Such a shame we couldn't stick to that promise~”
“Hey, remember to grab my shoulder and pull me to the side when you enter.”
“Got it.” As Goh Yoo-Joon and I fine-tuned our moves, a behind-the-scenes camera sneaked up close, capturing every detail of our practice.
“Give it your all in the dance, especially with the AR cranked up so high!” the manager bellowed, making sure his voice reached every corner of the room. He could be a bit reckless at times, announcing to everyone about the AR being turned up so loud even with the cameras rolling.
‘...But then again, does it really matter?’
“Hey, mind if I throw in an ad-lib at the end? Right after your 'Let's rise together' part?” inquired Yoo-Joon.
“Sure thing. How are you planning to do it?” I answered. Goh Yoo-Joon then showed off the ad-lib he had in mind, and the cameraman filming our behind-the-scenes footage paused, looking a bit confused. After that, he lowered the camera for a moment.
“Not to interfere, but aren’t you lowering the mic volume? How can you do the ad-lib with that?”
After hearing that, we exchanged knowing looks and shook our heads in unison. “We are keeping it for a different show.”
“Oh, I see.” The cameraman seemed convinced and resumed filming, shifting focus to other members. We then exchanged a low-key high five, feeling like partners in crime.
After a while, the dressing room door swung open, and one of the stage crew peeked in. “Is Chronos ready? It's almost time to head up.”
The manager scanned our group with a look of anticipation in his eyes. “Is everyone ready?”
“Yes!”
“Alright, let's move!” Surrounded by the staff, we made our way out of the dressing room. There were only about five minutes remaining until our debut showcase.
***
Thanks to Pick We Up, we didn’t have stage fright. The audience seats were occupied not only by fans but also by journalists, and there were no cheers to greet us. However, this marked our first moment as Chronos, the artists, not just trainees. Hence, the sense of thrill was unmatched, and every step toward the stage tingled with excitement.
‘Debut!’ My heart swelled with emotion at the thought.
“Ladies and gentlemen! The wait is over. Chronos is ready to take the stage!” Announcer Jeong Gyu-Chan, whom we'd met during Pick We Up, was hosting the showcase. We caught his eye from backstage, and he offered an encouraging nod.
“Shall we bring Chronos up for a Q&A and their performance?”
Tap, tap!
Just before we took our first steps onto the stage, the manager patted each of us, whose lips were pursed in concentration, on the shoulder. It was a silent gesture of motivation and support.
“Let’s give them a warm welcome with applause. It’s Chronos!” Announcer Jeong Gyu-Chan’s voice echoed through the venue.
“Chronos, please head to the stage!”
Leading the way, Joo-Han stepped up first, and we followed him one by one. The air was electric with the sound of camera shutters, flashing lights, and thunderous applause.
Joo-Han grabbed the microphone while trying to mask his nervousness. “Let’s start with saying hi. One, two, three!”
“Hello, we are Chronos! Nice to meet you!”
“Yay! It's been quite a while, Chronos. How have you all been?" Announcer Jeong Gyu-Chan stepped forward, effortlessly easing the tense atmosphere. We then took our seats, ready for the Q&A session with the journalists.
- After Pick We Up, your debut single's tracks 'Chronos' and 'History' are ranking impressively at sixth and eighth. How does it feel to see your debut tracks chart so high?
Joo-Han responded confidently, “We owe it to Pick We Up's influence. And it's not just our achievement; it's all thanks to the immense support from our fans.” His words brought a beam of pride to our manager below the stage, his eyes welling up with tears. He then celebrated with grand gestures—classic him.
“The next question is from Seoul Entertainment News," Jeong Gyu-Chan then handed over the microphone to the reporter who asked the first question.
- The title track of your debut single is 'Parade.' Could you share the meaning behind this title and the song’s message?
“This question is..." Jeong Gyu-Chan looked our way, pondering. “Mmm... Let's have our Yoo-Joon answer this, shall we?"
Caught off guard, Goh Yoo-Joon nervously took the mic from Joo-Han. His stiff and funny attempt to speak had me biting my lip to hold back my laughter.
Goh Yoo-Joon saw my expression. “Why are you laughing? Is it obvious that I am nervous?" His innocent question had me cracking up, and I said, “Yeah, just relax a bit!"
I then gave him a reassuring pat on his back, and he was ready to go again. “‘Parade' symbolizes our desire to kick off our journey in a grand, spectacular fashion. It’s the opening chapter of our unique story, an irresistibly captivating track."
As Goh Yoo-Joon wrapped up, Lee Jin-Sung added, “Don't forget to check out our dance moves, which is our strength! They're a major highlight of Chronos!"
Then came my turn.
- I heard you came up with Ring, the name for Chronos's fans, Hyun-Woo. What's the story behind it?
“The name, Ring, is inspired by Chronos being the god of Saturn. Just like the rings are the most captivating part of Saturn, our fans are the most beautiful part of Chronos.”
The session continued with various questions about the meaning behind Chronos, our individual charms, and our future goals.
“That concludes our Q&A session. Now, get ready for Chronos's highly anticipated performance."
We then waved at the journalists and made our way behind the curtain. The staff was buzzing around, prepping the stage, while Jeong Gyu-Chan narrated details about our album. During this period, we helped each other with our ear mics, exchanging determined glances.
“Ready, guys?" I signaled, and everyone nodded in unison. It was showtime—the moment we dubbed “Manager Hyung's Surprise Prank Operation.”
“Chronos, it's your time!"
“You nailed the interview, guys! Keep up the energy for the stage! Stay calm and rock it! You got this!"
“Of course, hyung. This is our debut, so we're going all out!" As we moved toward the stage with mics still off, Goh Yoo-Joon discreetly cleared his throat. “Ah-ah-ah. Alright, voice check done."
The thought of lip-syncing on our debut stage? No way. We were set on a full live performance from start to finish.
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